Post-Christmas Blues? Top Tips for Foodie Holidays.
Now that Christmas is gone and all the rush is over, you might feel a little down. To counteract the post-Christmas blues you can embark in a foodie holiday to entice your taste buds with other flavours. A foodie holiday is a holiday during which you allow yourself to enjoy the best foods from the countries you are visiting. In other words, you are actually visiting specific countries just to have a bite from their traditional dishes. Each nation is famous for at least one dish, so why not try them on the go. Here are the best destinations for a delicious holiday.
Vietnam
Vietnamese cuisine is one of the healthiest in this list and is rich in nutrients, without making you feel heavy after you eat. Some of their staple dishes are Goi Cuon, Banh mi and Pho. Goi Cuon are spring rolls stuffed with a delicious mix of greens, coriander and meat (shrimp, crab or minced pork). Vietnam is famous for its sandwiches, so there is little wonder Banh mi is on the must-try list. It is a sandwich made with vegetables, omelet and various other fillings. Pho is the famous noodle soup.
Spain
Spanish cuisine preserves a lot from the Roman Empire cuisine, so you will find plenty of mushrooms and olive oil in their dishes. Their food is as rich as the nation’s history and each region has its own specialties. Paella is their traditional dish, made from rice, vegetables and seafood, but each region has its own twist on this dish, so try it in Basque, Galicia and Valencia. Cured meats, such as the world famous jamon, or the equally famous chorizo need to grace your plate when you are visiting Spain. You can find cured meat almost at every shop, hanging from the wall, but if you want to taste the best, look for Iberico de Bellota.
Greece
Greece is known for its laid back lifestyle and amazing beaches, but they are also great cooks. Greeks know how to make a salad, so each time you are in this country ask for a salad – outside Greece you would ask for a Greek salad, but when in Greece you just ask for a salad. The iconic Greek dish is souvlaki, in translation little skewers, made from marinated pork, fried on the grill. You can find the souvlaki everywhere: in the streets, at the bar and even at cafes. Another traditional dish is the mousaka, which consists of layers of eggplant slices and minced meat, cooked in the oven.
Italy
Italians are loud and love to party, so there is no wonder their food is colorful and tasty. Italians rely on fresh produce, olive oil, tomatoes and bread when they cook. Their dishes are simple, fresh and colorful. When in Italy you must try the pizza! No matter which one you choose, you will never be disappointed, as no one knows how to bake a pizza better than an Italian. The next item on the list is pasta: you need to try Carbonara, Pesto and Amatriciana. For dessert you have the option of gelato, which is ice cream kept in ice cream refrigeration equipment to keep it cold, or typical ice cream, just perfect to cool down a tourist. Browse the high quality ice cream display freezers such as those available at FFD, at any gelato shop and notice the wealth of flavours available – you will have a hard time choosing just one. In fact, you will probably have to visit multiple shops to make sure you’ve tried all the best ice creams Italy has to offer.
Pakistan
As a Muslim community, Pakistan people don’t drink alcohol and don’t eat pork, but their dishes are delicious mixes of chicken, beef, fish and veggies. Pakistani cooks use a lot of spices, like chilli, ginger, cinnamon, coriander and garlic. When you visit this country, you must try shahi tukra, made from sliced bread, sugar, cream, milk and saffron. Chicken tandoori is also on the must-try list and is best with roti, a type of local bread and dhal, a lentil stew.
Peru
The cultural heritage of Peru gave it a vibrant cuisine, where amazing flavours come together to create unique dishes. The country has been named the World’s Leading Culinary Destination for several years, so it’s definitely one of the countries you need to visit when you are looking for the most delicious meals in the world. To make the most out of Peruvian cuisine, travel to Lima. Here you need to try ceviche and lomo saltado. Cevishe is made from fresh marinated fish and can be found both in the streets and in restaurants. Lomo saltado is made from flame cooked beef with tomatoes, red onion and chilli, representing the epic blend between Peruvian and Chinese cuisines.
Romania
Romanian cuisine is rich in flavour, offering a great treat for a hungry traveller. The traditional dish is sarmale with polenta, which is going to conquer your heart from the first bite. Sarmale are cabbage rolls stuffed with spiced minced pork meat that are served with polenta, made from corn starch. Mici, grilled minced meat rolls, are another traditional dish one must try and make sure you are eating them with mustard. Before you start eating you need to take a sip of tuica, a spirit made from plums.
France
Chefs go to train in France for a reason, so when you are in France you know you will get to taste some amazing dishes. The nation can’t live without baguettes and cheese, while their champagne and wine are famous all around the world. Probably one of the most interesting, yet simple foods you must try in France is the foie gras, goose liver. Just spread it on a brioche and enjoy its rich texture. Cassoulet is another traditional dish, made from duck legs, pork and beans. France is known in England as the “snail eating nation” and they rise to their name, as another popular dish is the escargots au beurre persille – snails cooked in herb butter and served with their shells on.
The world has amazing tastes to offer to a hungry traveller, so each time you want to take a bite from something different just book a plane ticket.
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